From the 2/7/2024 Courier

On Jan. 17th, the Woodland Park School Board voted to extend district superintendent Ken Witt’s contract with a vote of 3 to 2. Why would they want to continue with a superintendent who has caused so much turmoil? Why would they give him a substantial raise even though he is still working part time? Why would they renew a contract without reviewing his performance, as set forth by board policy?

During Witt’s term here, there have been numerous protests. There were two student-led protests against his hiring. Then, parents lined the streets protesting Witt’s order to move sixth grade down to the elementary schools. Also, after the unconstitutional gag order, 81 teachers and staff wrote an open letter to the community pleading for better leadership. Just last month, numerous citizens wrote letters to the board and there was a petition with 300+ signatures begging for a superintendent search. This obviously fell on deaf ears. His contract was signed, regardless.

What a contract it is! The average salary for a superintendent of our district size is $132,000 (full time), per the Colorado Department of Education website. Witt is now making $170,000 per year (part time), with a monthly $500 car allowance (you need that when you travel from Monument) and guaranteed yearly raises of at least 5% plus bonuses. He received this raise without any performance review, which goes against policy. Could you imagine what those extra dollars could do for our teachers and SPED department? At this point, Witt is just pilfering district resources from us taxpayers.

Not only is Witt wasting dollars from taxpayers, he is creating a hostile work environment. Yes, there have been numerous lawsuits due to bad attorney advice or unethical behavior. However, what’s more alarming is how he speaks about our teachers and staff. During the coverage of the teachers speaking out, Witt said our teachers are “bent on fostering a hatred of America.” If you’ve met our teachers you know this isn’t true. Or the time he was asked about mental health and social service resources he said, “we’re not the department of mental health.“ There’s been numerous news interviews where he just hangs up or stares blankly, apparently pleading the 5th, when questioned. So why do we renew his contract?

Renewing Witt’s contract without a review is against long-standing board policy and much less, common business sense. When checked by Director Barkley, it appeared Witt has never had a formal review done since he was hired. A proper review would show that we aren’t being fiscally conservative, that employee retention is down, student enrollment is declining, and overall morale has diminished. As a community, we need to be questioning why these actions are happening at such a fast pace. Why do we have an incompetent outsider promoting an extremist culture war on our once tight-knit community? Why didn’t we perform a search for $11,000 rather than giving Witt a $15,000 raise? We must stop this runaway train called Witt.

Bridget Curran

Synopsis of letter to WPSD Board of Education

• 30+ years ago: Taxpayers approved bond: Build middle school for 6-8 grades to move OUT of high school.

• MS students unique: not little kids, not young adults; need own space.

• Merit given ½ MS

• Sixth grade lost opportunities moved to elementary: 1 day of band, 2-3 days of electives. social studies & science instead of 5, no longer allowed to participate: Forensics, MS clubs, all MS sports.

• MS losing building. Considerations?

• Cost to move MS

• Job status current MS staff?

• Supposedly better 6th not with 7th/8th; OK for 7th/8th sharing building with Jr’s/Sr’s?

• Aging HS building; available space safe & appropriate for students?

• Sports programs; Currently, 7 basketball teams between HS & MS. HS boys/girls alternate early/late practices. How will multiple teams practice & play in just 2 gyms? Benefit to athletes? Other sports using facilities? Will MS track athletes be bussed to MS track? Costs?

• MS, “under utilized,” 5 classes per grade with 25-28 students; OK for Merit to have entire building with far fewer?

• Parking at HS limited. Space for another staff, parents, guests?

• Playground equipment at MS obtained through grant. Equipment relocated so MS students have access? MS has open space, and blacktop with basketball hoops, 4-square boxes. Where at HS is comparable space?

• Murals -MS walls designed & created by students. Merit already painted over work in current space; can assume same in entire building, wiping out what students produced in OWN building.

• BOE decisions without consideration of, nor input from, WPSD staff, students, parents continue to create animosity.

Laurie Gutierrez, Woodland Park

From the 1/31/2024 Pikes Peak Courier:

Woodland Park Middle School (WPMS) left this world on Jan. 19. It was declared dead to the public by email. WPMS is survived by its students, staff, parents, alumni, and community.

Woodland Park Middle School was born three decades ago to a community on the rise. A community full of hope with job opportunities for young families and natural attractions to support the growth of the area and a healthy school system. Woodland Park’s new middle school was a symbol of this community’s ascent.

WPMS was an in-between place which the community sought to give our kids an opportunity to thrive as they figured out who they were. It was a place for students who were not quite little kids anymore but not ready for the responsibilities of high school.

Many people reflect on their middle school years as the worst years of their life. Yet, for many, WPMS was something different. Former students described it as a safe place to mess up and have bad days. It was a place where students could fail, learn, and grow. Some said it was like a family, a place to be loved, a place for some tough honesty and accountability. It was never a school solely focused on academics. For 30 years, it was a place where kindness, integrity, and responsibility were just as important lessons as math and reading.

WPMS attracted quality teachers from across the country: retired military, former lawyers, field biologists, entrepreneurs, new and old teachers. It was a place where former students returned to teach because they believed in the mission and culture of teaching and connecting with squirrely 11-14 year old kids.

In its infancy, some even remarked that the WPMS building looked more like a shopping mall than a school. Sadly, its fate would be that of many shopping malls across the country.

In the early 2000s, a recession struck a blow to WPMS and Woodland Park’s schools as many businesses in the community and down the pass failed. People lost jobs and young families with children found it difficult to afford the cost of housing. The student enrollment began to decline.

In our society, people began to look for new opportunities to get what they wanted. Instead of the places which bring community together, people sought the convenience of their home computer or drove to specialty schools and stores which could meet their specific needs.

Woodland Park Middle School would never recover from these setbacks despite attempts to attract new students. WPMS chose to live life to the fullest: innovative programs, dances and pep rallies, expanding athletic opportunities, improving student spaces with new equipment and murals, field trips, exposition nights and authentic experiences for students.

However, it was not enough. Those from inside and outside of the community fought against Woodland Park Middle School’s efforts and it eventually succumbed to its fate.

Celebration of Life services forthcoming.

Memories, stories, and reflections can be sent to wpmsmemorial@gmail.com

Greg Spalding

From the 1/31/2024 Pikes Peak Courier:

Divisive at best

As a district parent, I am flabbergasted by the decision to extend Ken Witt’s contract as the WPSD Superintendent – with guaranteed, taxpayer-funded raises no less – without any formal discussion or evaluation. When Mr. Witt knowingly and intentionally broke the law and violated the first amendment rights of teachers, was that not worth even a mention? Is the continued hemorrhaging of staff under Mr. Witt not worth digging into? Is Mr. Witt’s alarming lack of transparency – both to the school board and the community –simply par for the course now? Should feedback from Mr. Witt’s subordinates not be solicited or even considered?

At best, Ken Witt is a divisive outsider who neither lives in the Woodland Park School District nor seeks to better understand and heal it. At worst, he is intentionally ripping at whatever tenuous seams remain holding friends and neighbors together while pouring hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars into his personal bank account. With so many less incendiary superintendent candidates out there, how can Mick Bates, Cassie Kimbrell, and Suzanne Patterson allow this disturbing behavior to continue unchecked?

Sarah Voget, Woodland Park

WPSD board: Fiscal conservatives?

January 17, our school board renewed a contract for Superintendent Ken Witt—expiring in June. Why hurry?

The offer: A $15,000 dollar raise (to $170,000), plus perks including 5% guaranteed annual increase and potentially $15,000 in bonuses. He retains his part time job for an organization championing charter schools and can work remotely—no required days in-district. While previous superintendents highly involved themselves in the community, most serving on the Chamber of Commerce, Witt has little to lose residing in Monument, with few visits to our schools and no performance review.

Salaries from similar-sized districts reveal Witt’s as high to mid-range—though other superintendents work daily, and have around 20 years’ experience and at minimum Master’s degrees.

Our teachers’ starting salaries ($42,000) are mid to low of comparative schools; only Cripple Creek pays lower, though our cost of living is 9% beyond the national average and median housing price is over $500,000. The majority hold master’s degrees. They’re required to work per district calendar and aren’t guaranteed raises or bonuses.

Witt’s contract was offered despite declining enrollment. October 2022’s pupil count was 1,977; October 2023 count was 1820 (decrease of 157, or 7%). His salary only comes from the 1422 non-charter students—a significantly smaller pot than pre-Merit Academy days. Meanwhile, parent protests remain at an all-time high.

Who wrote the contract? Clearly the BOE didn’t; this wasn’t on the agenda and was provided 15 minutes prior to vote. Who is watching our tax dollars? Can we afford this?

Carol Greenstreet, Woodland Park

A guest column in the Courier, written by our newest school board member Keegan Barkley:

It is 4 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18 and I am wide awake. My conscience allowed me to fall asleep easily but my frustration woke me early. Superintendent Ken Witt’s contract was extended last night by a 3-2 vote in what, in my opinion, was a confusing and disorganized special board meeting. I feel it is my duty to the community to explain my dissenting vote. 

Nothing about this contract renewal followed best practices or ensured it was in the best interest of district families, teachers, and taxpayers. As a specialist in talent acquisition, I work with employee contracts daily. Contract renewals are negotiations that include honest conversations with the hiring manager, finance department, and human resources. Contract renewals require objective performance reviews. Contract renewals usually consider feedback from someone’s peers and subordinates. None of that happened last night.

In fact, the opposite happened. Because of the way the agenda was written, we were not legally allowed to negotiate Mr. Witt’s proposed contract while in executive session. We were not legally allowed to discuss the performance of the employee or the petition against the renewal signed by over 300 parents and community members, and we were not legally allowed to propose any changes to the contract. Our only options were to postpone the vote or to vote that evening.

Despite the fact we, as a Board, had only minutes ago received the contract, and the current contract is not up until June 3, board members chose to legally bind our school district and all the taxpayers who support it, to a 2-year contract extension. A contract with guaranteed salary increases each year when we do not offer the same to our teachers. 

We had the opportunity to start mending the cracks that have formed in our community – to do our due diligence in examining what our district needs to move forward successfully. To show the community who elected us that we can rise above our differences by undertaking a robust, objective examination of our superintendent’s contract and performance. Instead, another contract was rubber stamped with no consideration for the ramifications on the families who depend on us to think critically, not politically. 

This approach is irresponsible. It is not fiscally conservative or transparent, and it is not in the best interest of this district or our community. 

Board policy states the board shall:

1. Represent and govern the district by determining and verifying district/superintendent performance.

2. Ensure input from students, staff, parents and other citizens as a means to link to the entire community.

3. Develop and modify as needed written governing policies.

4. Ensure superintendent performance through monitoring District Purpose Statement and executive expectations policies.

5. Ensure board performance through monitoring governance process and board/superintendent staff relationship policies.

I will adhere to my duties, and I thank the other board member willing to put in the effort last night.

Keegan Barkley